Decolonization: Barbie’s Philosophical World
Sunday November 10 at 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm EST
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Want to better appreciate Greta Gerwig’s highbrow screenwriting, or been wanting to read some philosophy but need a bubblegum pink excuse? Join philosopher Ryan Miller for eleven weeks as we read and discuss classic philosophical texts in conjunction with brief scenes from Barbie.
By giving voice to the cognitive dissonance required to be a woman under the patriarchy, you robbed it of its power. Hell, yes, White Savior Barbie!
Here Gerwig both channels current visions of the power of speech to achieve decolonial aims by forcing open the internal contradictions of oppressor narratives and indicates meta-awareness of casting all-white leads in a movie about privilege. Columbia professor Gayatri Spivak offers a nuanced account of these tensions in efforts by people with privilege to overturn structures of colonial oppression in her essay “Can the Subaltern Speak?”
- What internal contradictions are there in Ken’s patriarchy that the Barbie’s can use to take back power?
- What dangers exist when privileged people try to engage in the work of decolonization?
- How can privileged people be helpful in the work of decolonization?
- Is Barbie intersectional or tokenist?
Before the session, please check out the following:
- Pages 78-101 of the Barbie screenplay and/or this clip of Gloria's central monologue and the Barbie response
- Gayatri Spivak, “Can the Subaltern Speak?” (non-nerd version)
